More than 100 people died and many others were seriously injured after wildfires swept across Portugal last year.

The deadly fires, which experts say were caused by climate change, lack of an efficient fire prevention strategy and flammable trees, forced people to flee their homes, leaving behind everything they have ever known.

After reducing areas of the small southern European country to ashes, the disaster should have raised an important question: Could such a tragic event ever happen right here in Surrey?

Read More

Wildfires in Surrey

But before explaining the impact climate change may have, Mr Scott wants people to be part of a conversation around the important role fire has played over the past 400 million years of Earth history.

He said: "The whole point of my new book is to show fire as a natural part of of the Earth system, which is something people haven't come to grips with.

"Humans came into what you might call a flammable planet so we have to learn to adapt, just like plants and animals have done in the past."

African savannas, for instance, need regular fire to keep habitats open and some types of vegetation, including eucalyptus in Australia, have evolved with fire and need it to survive.

Some conifer cones, such as the jack pine, need fire for seeds to be shed.

A passer-by watches as the fire rages (Image: Grahame Larter)

It is impossible to deny fire has its advantages but, inevitably, it also causes destruction and widespread fear.

Over the last five years, Surrey has seen a number of large wildfires causing significant damage to important areas of the countryside and the landscape.

In April 2017 alone, at least six fires ripped through different areas of the county, including in Chobham Common where eight hectares of nature reserve were destroyed.

But, perhaps, one of the the biggest fires Surrey has ever seen took place in Thursley Common, Waverley, a heathland site which went up in smoke back in 2006.

Large fire battled by fire crews at night on Chobham Common (Image: Grahame Larter)

Even though "none of the fires in southern England have been too serious" - at least when compared to what happened in Portugal and other countries across the world, Mr Scott wants people to know the threat is not going away.

He said: "We are going through a period of climate change and if we are not having many fires now that doesn’t mean we won’t have major fires in the future.

"People think it's snowing and cold but that doesn’t mean we are not experiencing global warming.

“I think we have to realise Surrey is an highly vegetated county and fires will happen. We just have to be prepared for it."

It may not seem like it but, according to Mr Scott, Surrey is currently experiencing a period of drought, mostly likely due to dramatic weather changes.

Five things you didn't know about wildfires in Surrey

Surrey is the most wooded county in England, making wildfires more dangerous

The county is currently experiencing a drought, again increasing risk of major fire

Surrey Fire Brigade bought a number of fire appliances specifically designed to put out wildfires

Most wildfires in Surrey are human-started, either accidentally or on purpose

Heathlands are the most flammable areas in Surrey

He said: "We have seen less rainfall but there has been a lot of growth of vegetation. This means it will only take a period of two to three weeks without rain for vegetation to dry sufficiently for fires to start.

"And because of the built up of fuel over the last few years the potential of major fire is signicant.”

As the wildfire season extends and the danger increases, Mr Scott argues we should be thinking of ways to better manage blazes in the future.

“Some people say that some areas shouldn’t be managed, that it should all be natural, " Mr Scott said. "But we are building our towns and villages into this flammable environments and therefore we have to take that it account."